According to the US Census Bureau, around 140,000 vans, RVs or boats were counted as housing units in 2019, up from about 102,000 in 2016
s or boats were counted as housing units in 2019 according to the Census Bureau, up from about 102,000 in 2016. The circumstances of people who live in their vans can be glaringly different. On one end of the spectrum are those who, like the folks in Jessica Bruder’s book “Nomadland” have little alternative. On the other end are van lifers or “digital nomads” who covet a bohemian, go-anywhere lifestyle. Type #VanLife into Instagram and more than 10m posts appear.
As social-media influencers spread the van-life gospel, a lucrative industry blossomed. A custom van renovation at Rossmönster costs customers anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000—not including the cost of the van itself. Dave Walsh, the founder of Vanlife Customs in Denver, says he has seen revenues grow by at least 50% every year since his company’s founding in 2016.
When the pandemic hit, things looked bleak. National parks closed, leaving fewer picturesque places to camp. Jeff Cavins, a co-founder of Outdoorsy, an Airbnb-esque marketplace for van and camper rentals, says 95% of the firm’s bookings were cancelled. Then, business boomed. Outdoorsy’s bookings rocketed by 4,000% between April and October of 2020 as parks reopened and Americans fled city centres for greener places.
Ask any van lifer why they decided to trade their roof for wheels and the word “freedom” will inevitably come up. “I wanted to travel, was single and free and thought ‘Why not try this?’” says Mr Walsh. But the lifestyle that has gone viral on Instagram is a shiny version of what can be a dusty existence. “There’s a lot of butts and thongs with beautiful views behind them”, Mr Walsh adds, “but it’s not always a real portrayal of van life.
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